Document vyNEpKVGx8gZ2rdk2Y54dwGzR

FILE NAME: RT Vanderbilt (RTV) DATE: 1974 Oct 4 DOC#: RTV067 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: J-M Memo - Call with Bob Bacon Summary Bacon Stating that RTV's Talc does not Contain Asbestos Johns-M anviHe Internal Correspondence *>: P. J. Solon, Jr ffom- R. P . Carter copie*: File & C Subject: TREMOLITIC TALC D*1*-- Oct. 4, 1974 Bob Bacon called me this afternoon to advise rr.e he had received a telephone call from Dan Boyd. Boyd indicated that he had been directed by John Stender to prepare a letter to R. T. Vanderbilt for Stender*s signature, advising Vanderbilt that they can certify to their customers, that Vanderbilt's talc (NYTAL) does not contain asbestos, provided the talc ore does not contain fibers in R. T. Vanderbilt's judgement. Boyd believes that the letter will be signed early next week. Boyd indicated to Bacon that this decision was based on guidance from Jon May at NIOSH, who advised OSHA that the evidence currently is inconclusive as to whether trewolite is carcinogenic.'" Therefore, Vanderbilt should be granted some relief until NIOSH completes its investigation of tremolitic talc. As soon as this letter is signed by Stender, Boyd agreed to call Bacon and read the contents of idle letter to him. Bob Bacon, in turn, has agreed to call me as soon as he hears from Boyd and will immediately forward a copy of the letter to us. If what Bob Bacon has reported is correct, I am at a loss to understand OSHA's rationale for such action. In the past, OSHA has not hesitated to regulate a substance even though there was little, if any, evidence to establish that a particular substance was harmful to man at certain exposure levels. If such a letter is in fact issued by Stender, then, in effect OSHA would be holding in abeyance the application of the asbestos definition in OSHA's asbestos standard with respect to tremolite. I advised Bob Bacon that we were still planning to commence the insertion of warning labels on all commercial talc on or about November 1, and would not reconsider this decision until such time as we had an opportunity to review Stender's forthcom^wlettgg^ I2 g CRMC-MAD-000311 F. J. Solon, Jr Page 2 Oct. 4, 1974 In the event we should decide to schedule a meeting with Howard Shulte, Dan Boyd and Alexander Reis, it might be -advisable to first meet with Jon May at NIOSH to ascertain where they stand in their study of tremolitic talc and learn first-hand what his recommendation was to OSHA with respect to Vanderbilt's request. This background may be beneficial to us at a meeting with Shulte, Boyd and Reis. R. P. Carter KPC/emr CRMC-MAD-000312